Shaker top with pouring spout



Jan. 15, 19.57

J. C. DE SHAZOR, JR

SHAKER TOP WITH POURING SPOUT y 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Jan. 11, 1956Jan. 15, 1957 J. c. DE sHAzoR, JR 2,777,515

SHAKER TOP WITH POURING SPOUT Filed Jan. l1, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. James C De/nzzo/ Jl /QEENT United States Patent SHAKER TOPWITH POURING SPOUT James C. De Shazor, Jr., Portland, Greg., assigner to'Columbia Basin Plastics Company, Portland, reg.

Application January 11, 1956, Serial No. 558,515

Claims. (Cl. 222-480) This invention relates generally to containers inwhich material such as granular salt is merchandised and moreparticularly to an insert to be staked into a hole formed in the top ofsuch a container, the insert being adapted to provide at the option ofthe user either a shaker top or a pouring spout for the container.

This invention is an improvement over the shaker top shown in mycopending application S. N. 501,952, filed April 18, 1955 of which thisapplication is a continuation in part.

The primary object of the invention is to provide in one device to beinserted in the top of a dispensing container for granular salt or thelike optional means for sprinkling or pouring the contained materialfrom the container.

lt is a second object to provide such a unitary device in which both thesprinkling or shaker means and the pouring means can be in closedposition at the same time but that only one of the sprinkling or thepouring means can be open at the same time.

It is a third object to provide such a unitary device consisting ofthree pieces of molded plastic material permanently assembled bysnapping one piece into another piece to form a three piece assemblywith the one piece rotatably secured to the other piece and a thirdpiece hingedly secured by the one piece and the other piece to rotatewith the one piece.

It is a fourth object to provide such a device of thermoplastic materialwhich after insertion into a mating hole formed in the top of acontainer can be staked in place by locally heating and deforming thedevice.

lt is a fth object to provide such a device of malleable material whichafter insertion into a mating hole formed in the container can be stakedin place by mechanically locally deforming the device at roomtemperature.

How these and other objects are attained is explained in the followingdescription referring to the attached drawings in which Fig. l is a planView of the assembled device of this invention installed in thefragmentary top of 'a container for granular material and with the partsof the device relatively positioned for shaking or sprinkling thegranular material from the container.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the assembled device along the'line 2 2 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental sectional view of the assembled device along theline 3 3 of Figure 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the assembled device of this inventioninstalled in the fragmentary top of a container for granular materialand with the parts of the device relatively positioned for pouring thegranular material from the container through the spout of the device.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View of the assembled device along the line 5 5 ofFig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the stator of the device of this invention.

vFig. 7 is a plan View of the rotor of the device of this invention.

Fig. 8 is a f ragmental bottom plan view of the stator of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the spout of the device of this invention.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the spout of Fig. 9 taken along the line10 10 of Fig. 9.

Fig. ll is a side elevation of the spout of Fig. 9 taken along the line.11. 11 of Fig. 9.

Fig. l2 is a fragmental sectional view along the line 12 12 of Fig. 8.

Like numerals of reference refer to like parts in the several figures ofthe drawing.

Referring now to the drawings, in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are shown the fullyassembled form in which the present invention is practically illustratedby way of example only, it being understood that the invention may bepracticed in other forms and with other details.

As illustrated the invention comprises a combined shaker top and pouringspout made up of la spout 20 hingedly secured by a rotor 21 and a stator22. Rotor 21 is rotatably secured in stator 22 as shown and stator 22 isadapted to be secured in a mating hole formed through the cardboard top23 of a container for granular material like table salt for example.Spout 20 always rotates with rotor 21.

' Statur 22, see also Figs. 6, 8, and 12, is seen to be formed with abottom wall 24, a side wall 25 and a top ange 26 overhanging side wall25 outwardly to rest on container cover 23 and inwardly to confine rotor21 rotatably within stator 22.

Shown in greater detail in Figs. 8 and 12 it is to be noted that thebottom outer corner 27 of the underside of stator 22 is bevelled for thepurpose of piloting the assembled device into the mating hole formed inpart 25. Also formed on the outside of sidewall 25 and extendingdownwardly from the underside of flange 26 are multiple triangular ribs28 adapted to engage the container top 23 and prevent the rotation ofthe stator 22 in top 23 when rotor 21 is rotated in stator 22. Ribs 28extend downwardly (Fig. 12) beyond the upper edge of bevel 27 so thatfor a short distance the ends of ribs 28 are free. This freedom of theends of ribs 28 is designed to make easier the mechanical deformation ofthe ends of ribs 28 after rotor 22 has been pressed into top 23 for thepurpose of permanently securing stator 22 into top 23.

The deformation of ribs 2S for the purpose noted is accomplished bypressing a metal ring having a rectangular section with an innerdiameter the same as the outer diameter of side wall 25 upward withsulcient force to crush ribs 2S over top 23 as shown at 28a in Figs. 2,3, and 5. Although the heat method of staking the stator into thecontainer top as shown in application S. N. 501,952 above noted is stillused and gives a very satisfactory result, it has been found that themechanical staking method just described allows a greatly speeded upmachine operation of assembling the device into the container top and istherefore an invention of considerable commercial importance withinitself.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5 the lower outer corner of rotor 21 isbeveled as at 29 in order to pilot rotor 21 into its assembled positionin stator 22. Although the outer diameter of rotor 21 is greater thanthe inner diameter of flange 26 of stator 22 the plastic material ofwhich the parts are made is sufficiently elastic for rotor 21 bearing onits beveled surface 29 to be pushed into stator 22 until the inwardlyextending edge of ange 26 snaps over the rabbetted corner 3@ of rotor21.

Rotor 21 is formed with depressions 31 iu its top side for the purposeof forming nger bars 32 as abutments for .the lingers of the user toengage in rotating rotor 21.

Also rotor 21 is formed with an arcuate upward de l shaker rholes 35 inrotor 21 are in register with sector shaped holes 36 in stator 22, whileat the other Ylimit holes 35 are blankedoff by imperforate sections ofbottom wall 24 of stator 22.

Hole .37 .formed .through rotor 21 is adapted to receive spout to rotatewith rotor 21 and hole 3S formed through bottom Wall 24 of stator 22 isadapted to receive spout 20 with the full rotational movement allowed otrotor. 21.with'respectto stator 22 by pin 34 and slot 33.

As shown in Figs. 9, l0, and ll, spout 2d is formed with a top plate'39apair of side plates 46, 41, and an arcuate shroud 42 formed with a hookend 43. Axle ears 44 laterally extending from one end of top plate 39rest in assembly on the top of bottom Wall 24 of stator 22 and arehingedly enclosed by pockets 45 formed upwardly in the underside ofrotor 21. The other end of top plate 39 is Lbevelled as shown on theunder side to reston the sloping surface 46-at the inner end of hole 37in rotor 21. The bevelled end of top plate 39 is formed to remainseparated at its tip from surface 45 so that a linger nail can beinserted in the gap between them -to rotate spout 20 about its ears 44.

Attention -is now called to the cooperation between the inner edge oflhole 38 formed through the bottom Wall of stator 22 and the slot 47formed through the side plate 41 of spout 20. The inner edge of hole 33is formed with an arcuate part 4S concentric with the center of rotationYot the rotor and a straight part 49. As shown dotted in 'F.ig. 4 andfull line in Fig. 5, when rotor 21 is -at its limit position Where holesare closed the hinge axis of spout 20 is parallel to edge part 49 ofhole 38.` Side plates 40 and 41 of spout 2t) clear edge part 4 9 andspout 20 can be rotated about its axle ears at will to either open spout20 for pouring or to close spout 2i) to set the container away forfurther use. When spout 20 is opened its -open limit position isdetermined by the striking of the under side of bottom wall 24 of stator22 at edge part 49 by the hook end 43 of shroud 42 of spout 20.

Now if it were desired to rotate the rotor 21 to open the shaker holes35 and the spout Was either all or partially open side plate 41 wouldstrike edge part 49 near edge `part 48 for the reason that edge part 48is at a greater radius from the center of rotation than is the edge ofside plate 41. But if the spout were fully closed the rotor and spoutcould be turned to the open position of all the holes 35 for the reasonthat notch 47 formed injside plate 41 of spout 20 has its back verticaledge at a greater radius from the center of rotation than is the edgepart.48 of vhole 38.

Figs. l, 2, and 3 illustrate the condition where the rotor is atV theonelimit of its rotation Where the holes 35 of the .rotor are open tothe inside of the container through holes'36 of the stator. The spout isclosed and locked closed by the radial edge of slot 47 abutting theunderside of edge part 48.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the condition where the rotor is at the otherlimit of its rotation where holes 35 are out of register with holes 36,side plates 40, 41 of spout 20 are ,edge on to edge part 49 of hole 38of stator 22 and sincefside plates 40, 41 clear edge part 49 spout 20may be opened or. closed at will.

YHaving thus listed some of the objects of the invention, illustrated.and-described one form in which the invention mayfbe practiced .andexplained its operation, l claim:

."l. 'In combination. with a container for granularmaterial,saidvzxpnita'inerV having iaphole l'formed through a Wall thereof, acombined shaker and pouring means for said .granular material .insertedin said holerand secured therein, said combined means .comprising astator, a rotor and a pouring spout, said spout being hingedly secured Yto said rotor by said stator to be movable into and out of pouringposition about a horizontal axis and said rotor being rotatably securedYto said stator to rotate between limit positions in either vdirectionabout a vertical axis, said rotor and stator including Ameans cooperableat one limit of rotation of said rotor to form a shaker means for saidsalt and said spout and said stator including means cooperable at saidone limit of rotation to prevent the opening of said spout and at theother limit of rotation of said rotor to release said spout for movementto its pouring position.

in combination with a container for granular material, said containerhaving a hole formed through a wall thereof, a combined shaker andpouring means for said granular material secured in said hole, saidcombined means comprising a stator, a rotor and a pouring spout, saidrotor being rotatably secured in said stator to rotate relative theretobetweenY a rst limit position in one direction of rotation and a secondlimit position in .the other direction of rotation, said rotor and saidstator lincluding cooperating means forming a material dispensing shakeropen at said rst limit position in said one direction of rotation ofsaid rotor relative to said stator and closed at said second limitposition in said other direction of rotation, means hingedly securingsaid spout to said rotor to hinge about an axis in a plane normal to theaxis of rotation of said rotor, means limiting the hinging of said spoutabout its hinging axis between a closed position of said spout and apouring position of said spout and interlockmg means formed on saidstator and said spout to permit the rotation of said rotor relative .tosaid stator only when said spout is in its closed position and to permitthe rotation of said spout to its pouring position only when shaker isclosed.

3. A dispensing top insert for merchandising and dispensing container ofgranular material, said top insert comprising a stator and a rotorincluding a pouring spout hinged thereto for movement between a closedposition anda pouring position, said stator being formed .with a bottomwall, a cylindrical side Wall raised from the outer edge of said bottomwall and a ange parallel to said bottom wall formed at the top of saidside wall to extend inwardly and youtwardly therefrom, said rotor beinggenerally disklike in shape with an outer diameter substantially thesame as the inner diameter of the side wall of said stator for theheight of said side wall and a reduced outer diameter substantially thesame as the inner diameter of vsaid ange of said stator for the heightof said ilange, said rotor being rotatably secured in said stator bysaid equal diameter surfaces and overhanging surfaces joining thesurfaces of unequal diameter of each of said stator and saidV rotor,said rotor and said stator including means forming a material dispensingshaker open at one limit position of rotation in one direction of saidrotor with respect to said stator and closed at another limit positionof rotationin the other direction of rotation .of

said rotor with respect to said stator, means permitting said rotor tobe rotated with respect to said stator only when said spout is in itsclosed position and permitting said spout to be moved to its pouringposition only when said rotor is at said another limit position,` thematerial of which said insert is made being sufficiently resilient forsaid rotor to be positioned `into said stator through the centralopening in said top iiange of said stator.

4. The top insert ofclaim 3 including rib means formed on the outside ofsaid cylindrical side Wall of said stator perpendicular to saidiiange,said rib means 'being of sutlicient length away from said angeto formshort free Aends extending beyondthe attachment of said ribs to Saidside wall and said material of which said stator is made vbeing.suticiently malleable forrsaidY free Yends ofv said Iribs to 5 bemechanically deformed to secure a Wall of said container between theunderside of said ange and the deformed free ends of said ribs.

5. The top insert of claim 3 including an arcuate slot formed in theunderside of said rotor and an upstanding pin formed in the top side ofsaid bottom wall of said stator, the free end of said pin being engagedin said slot to determine said limit positions of said rotor withrespect to said stator and a side of said pin being frictonally engagedwith a side of said slot to limit the freedom of rotation of said rotorin said stator.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

